Current practice in wireless messaging systems makes the loading of addresses, including information services (IS) addresses, into a wireless messaging device such as a pager, the domain of the wireless service provider. These addresses can be loaded at manufacture, or later by fairly restricted means, and only with the participation in one form or another of the wireless service provider.
In the context of information services, it is desirable to provide a means of authorizing an IS provider to modify attributes of the IS subscription in the subscriber unit. It is also required, however, that the IS provider ONLY be able to modify attributes within the authorized areas of the IS provider and nowhere else. In addition, because the wireless service provider "owns" the subscriber, the wireless service provider preferably should control the finite resources in the subscriber unit that are allocated to storing addresses and associated information, IS topic subscription information, and encryption keys.
Thus, what is needed is a method and apparatus in a wireless messaging system for controlling a hierarchical provision of service, as between, for example, the wireless service provider and an IS provider. The method and apparatus preferably will allow each provider to control selected attributes within areas appropriate to each provider.